Neighborhood guide · Ward 3, Washington DC
Forest Hills
The nature-lover’s Ward 3 buy — Rock Creek Park at the edge, a Red Line station in the neighborhood, and a genuine 10/10 elementary.
The vibe
Residents call it “a quiet enclave of impressive homes for D.C. nature-lovers,” and the map agrees: Rock Creek Park forms the eastern border and Soapstone Valley Park runs through the heart. The housing is grand in a low-key way — Tudor Revivals, mid-century moderns, colonials, and early-20th-century estates on generous, winding, tree-lined streets (median build year 1958). Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens — Marjorie Merriweather Post’s estate, with French and Russian decorative arts and Fabergé eggs — sits in the neighborhood, and the National Zoo is adjacent. Connecticut Avenue brings daily life: Bread Furst (European-style bakery), Sfoglina (Michelin-featured pasta), Pho 14, Laliguras, and a weekly farmers market. The mix: professionals, professors (UDC’s Van Ness campus and Howard Law are in the neighborhood), and diplomats (Czech, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovak, Singaporean, Pakistani, Nigerian embassies). Civil War history hides in plain sight — Fort Kearny once stood here.
Homes & prices
The median sold price sits near ~$535K, down roughly 4% year over year — but that number hides the real structure. Detached single-family homes (Tudors, mid-century moderns, colonials on ~8,700 sqft lots) run ~$2.3M; townhouses ~$1.43M. The entry point is condos and co-ops from ~$260K (up to ~$875K) — which is how a Ward 3 zip code becomes reachable for buyers who’d never touch Spring Valley. About 6.3 months of supply — balanced-to-buyer-leaning, with room to negotiate.
Who it’s for
Ward 3 without Spring Valley’s price tag — park access, a top elementary, and the Van Ness Red Line station, with condos starting at ~$260K. The middle path between Cleveland Park’s polish and Chevy Chase’s price, for buyers who rank green space over marble lobbies.
Getting around
Van Ness-UDC (Red Line) is IN the neighborhood — the station the area is nicknamed for. Downtown DC is ~4 miles, roughly 20 minutes by Metro; Metrobus corridors run Connecticut Avenue; driving downtown runs ~10–15 minutes off-peak. This is one of the few Ward 3 pockets where you can be genuinely car-optional.
Schools
A genuine headline: Ben Murch Elementary (PK–5) — GreatSchools 10/10 (verify current rating), one of the District’s top elementaries. Hearst Elementary (PK–5) — GreatSchools 8/10 (verify current rating), “the best little school in the District” per its own motto. The assigned elementary splits by address (Hearst vs. Murch) — both strong — and both feed Alice Deal Middle School (Niche A) → Jackson-Reed High School (Niche A). Verify the specific feeder for any address.
Life here
Rock Creek Park and Soapstone Valley trails start at the neighborhood’s edge; Forest Hills Park (sports courts, playground), Linnean, and Penni parks cover close-to-home weekends. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is the crown jewel — gardens, concerts, and Fabergé eggs. Connecticut Avenue’s dining (Bread Furst, Sfoglina, Pho 14) plus the weekly farmers market keep daily life walkable.
Where it is
Solomia’s take
Forest Hills is the nature-lover’s Ward 3 buy: Rock Creek Park at the eastern edge, Soapstone Valley through the middle, a Red Line station in the neighborhood, and a genuine 10/10 elementary option — plus condos from ~$260K that make Ward 3 accessible in a way Spring Valley never will be. For buyers choosing between Cleveland Park’s polish and Chevy Chase’s price, Forest Hills is the middle path with the best park access.
Thinking about Forest Hills?
Tell me your timeline and budget — I’ll send homes matched to your priorities.
Market figures reflect data available October 2026 (Homes.com; Washingtonian) and move with the market. School ratings are point-in-time (GreatSchools; Niche) and change year to year — always verify assigned schools for a specific address. Photo: Forest Hills street — Egunt07, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.